Drainer



July 21, 1925. 1,546,756

1 W. F. SCHULZE ET AL DRAINER Filed Jan. 17, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented July 21, 1925.

(UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM IE. SCHULZE AND ADOLPH C. SGHUIJZE, OF WOBIDEN, ILLINOIS.

DRAINER.

I Application filed January 17, 1925. Serial No. 3,142.

* of more completely draining the curd than ispossible with the ordinary type of drainer and which is readily manipulated.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having a pair J of interlacing racks between which is disposed a drainagereceptacle in which the curd. is placed, the racks being shiftable to engage the receptacle and slightly compress the same so that the contents thereof may be more completely drained.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character in which the racks may be readily removed for cleansing and in whichjthe entire mechanism is so enclosed as to be inaccessible to flies and other insects.

These and other objects we attain by the construction shown in the accompanylng drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of our invention and wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a drainer constructed in accordance with our invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view there through;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view therethrough Figure 4 is a perspective of an end of the draining sack; and

Figure 51s a perspective of .one end of one of the racks showing the pivot.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral generally indicates a receptacle preferably formed of metal which will not rust such as copper. This receptacle has a curved bottom 11 formed by a continuation of its side walls 12 and parallel end walls 13, and the lowest portion 9H1??? tss ptael is P Q d i h a drainage cured in position.

openinglt. This receptacle will be supported in any suitable manner but is preferably supported by legs 15 arranged at the four corners thereof.

A top for the receptacle is provided including end members 16upon the upper surface of which are secured side members 17. To one of these side members a door 18 is pivoted, as indicated at 19, and swings to close the space between the side members or to admit access to the receptacle 10 for the purpose of cleansing the same. The end edges of the door rest-upon the upper surfaces of the end members 16. This door is formed with a funnel 20, the upper end of which projects above the upper surface of the door and is adapted for the reception of a curd bag 21, this bag being preferably provided with a draw string 22 at its mouth so that this mouth may be turned back over the upper larger end of the funnel and fee Pivoted to the door 18, as at 23, is a funnel closure 24 swingable to enter the mouth of the funnel after the bag has been placed in position therein and seal this month to prevent the entrance of insects or the escape of the contents of the bag. This funnel closure is secured in closed position by means of latches 25 of any desired construction.

Arranged withinthe receptacle 10 is a pair of interengaged racks 26 and 26% each comprising an upper and lower end member 27 and spaced bars 28 connecting these end members, the bars of the racks being staggered and each extending into the space between two bars of the other rack. Each upper bar 2? has at its ends a cylindrical extension 28 forming a p1vot.

The racks 26, 26 are of substantially the same length as the distance between adjacent faces of the end walls 13. The endinembers 16 of the top have formed in their inner faces and opening through their upper surfaces notches 29 for the reception of the extensions 28 and upon the bases of these notches, these extensions rest and form pivots for the racks about which the racks may be swung.

One rack is pivoted adjacent each side member 17 and to the lower end member 27 of each rack is secured a ratchet bar 29 extending upwardly through a slot formed in the other of the side members 17 and coacting. with a latch plate 30 carried thereby. It will be seen that by engaging either of (lit the ratchet bars and moving the same upwardly or downwardly, the position of the lower end of the associated rack may be controlled and accordingly the space between the upper faces of the racks above the point of their intersection and into which the lower end of the receptacle 21 extends may be altered both as to size and shape. These racks may thus be employed to either merely disturb the contents of the curd bag or to compress the contents thereof and being of slat formation will not interfere with the passage of the whey from the curd.

In the use of the separator, the racks are first placed with their lower ends in their lowermost position and the curd bag 21 placed in position. The n'iingled curd and whey is then poured into the bag and the funnel closure 2i placed in position. Drainage is continued until no further whey passes oil' at the outlet at which time the rachs 2G, 26 have their lower ends elevated to engage the bag and disturb the s .:e and i er mit pocketed whey intermingled with the curd to escape. If desired, the moven'ient of the racks may be continued until the curd is compressed, thus forcing the therefrom. It will be obvious that the contents of the sack may be thus much more rapidly drained than in a receptacle where drainage alone is depended upon. lVhen it is desired to cleanse the receptacle 10, the curd bag is removed and the cover 18 moved to the open position, the ratchet bars 29 havingtirst been lowered to their lowermost position. At' this time, the ratchet bar operating through the slot of the member 17 to which the cover is pivoted, may have its upper end passed between the adjacent end of the door and the member 17, the pivotal connection of the door with this member 1". spacing these surfaces. To remove the llCl'S, it is then only necessary that the racks be engaged with the hands and shifted upwardly out of the receptacle. Once removed, the racks may be very readily cleansed as may the interior of the receptacle 10.

Since the structure above set forth is obviously capable of a considerable range of change and modification without in any manner departing from the spirit of our invention we accordingly do not limit ourselves to such specific structure as herein after claimed.

e claim:

1. In a draining device, a receptacle, a top therefor including a hinged cover swingable to permit access to the interior of the receptacle, a pair of racks within the receptacle and pivotally connected therewith at their upper ends, means connected with the lower ends of the racks for shifting the racks and operable through said cover, and means carrieil' by the cover for supporting a drainage sac i.

2. In a draining device, a receptacle, a top therefor including a hinged cover swingable to permit access to the interior of the receplacle, a pair of racks within the receptacle being pix'otally connected therewith at their upper ends, means connected with the lower ends of the racks for shifting the racks and operable through. said cover and means carried by the cover for sup iiorting a drainage sack, said racks being bodily removable from said receptacle when the cover in the open position.

3. In draining apparatus of the character described, a receptacle, a top therefor including a hinged cover, the cover being provided centrally with a funnel, the larger upper end of which projects above the upper surface of the cover, a drainage sacl: adapted to be inserted in the receptacle through said tunnel and supported from the funnel and means for sealing the mouths of the funnel and drainage sack.

l. In draining apparatus of the character described, a receptacle, a top therefor including a hinged cover, the cover being provided centrally with a funnel, the larger upper end of which projects above the upper surface of the cover, a drainage sack adapted to be inserted in the receptacle through saidfunnel and supported from the funnel, means for sealing the mouths of the funnel and drainage sack, pivot-edto the cover at one side of the funnel and latching means for said sealing means at the opposite side of the funnel.

5. In a draining device, a receptacle, a top therefor including means for supporting a drainage sack within the receptacle, a pair of racks pivoted at their upper ends at opposite sides of said sack supporting means and means connected with the lower ends of each of the racks for shifting the same upwardly toward the pivotal connection of the other of the racks.

6. In a draining device, a receptacle, a top therefor including means for supporting a drainage sack within the receptacle, a pair of racks pivoted at their upper ends at opposite sides of said sack supporting means and means connected with the lower ends of each of the racks for shifting the same upwardly toward the pivotal connection of the other of the racks and for supporting the racks in adjusted positions.

7. In a draining device, a receptacle, a top therefor including means for supporting a drainage sack within the receptacle, a pair of racks pivoted at their upper ends at opposite sides of said sack supporting means and means connected with the lower ends of each of the racks for shifting the same upwardly toward the pivotal connection of the other of the racks, said racks each comprising a plurality of parallel bars con nected at their upper and lower ends by lit) transverse bars, the parallel bars of each rack each extending intermediate adjacent bars of the other of the racks.

8. In a draining device, a receptacle, a top therefor including means for supporting a drainage sack within the receptacle, a pair of racks pivoted at their upper ends at opposite sides of saidsack supporting means and means connected with the lower ends of each of the racks for shifting the same upwardly toward the pivotal connection of the other 01' the racks, said racks each comprising a plurality of parallel bars connected at their upper and lower ends by transverse bars, the parallel bars of each rack each extending intermediate adjacent bars of the other of the racks, the pivots for said racks being carried by the ends of the upper transverse bars of the racks.

9. I11 a draining device, a receptacle, a top therefor including means for supporting a drainage sack within the receptacle, a pair of racks pivoted at their upper ends at opposite sides of said sack supporting means and means connected with the lower ends of each of the racks for shifting the same upwardly toward the pivotal connection of the other of the racks, said racks each comprising a plurality of parallel bars eonnected at their upper and lower ends by transverse bars, the parallel bars of each rack each extending intermediate adjacent bars of the other of the racks, the pivots for said racks being carried by the ends of the upper transverse bars of the racks, the cover including a hinged top and end members upon which the hinged top may rest, said end members having upon their inner faces, notches opening through the outer surfaces of the end members and into which said pivots extend whereby the pivots and racks are removable when the cover is in open position.

In testimony whereof we hereunto afiix our signatures.

WILLIAM F. SCHULZE. ADOLPH C. SGHULZE. 

